“I feel ready to try to go for the trophy” – Musetti more prepared and self-assured as he targets Grand Slam title
The eighth-seeded Italian reached his first Grand Slam final, first ATP Masters final and won an Olympic medal – all in the course of the last 12 months
Lorenzo Musetti, Roland-Garros 2025
Image Credit: Julien Nouet / Tennis Majors
Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti comes into this year’s Roland-Garros with a different vibe around him. The 23-year-old has transitioned from rising star to legit contender on the back off his most successful 12 months on the tour.
Musetti, who is holding the one-handed backhand torch in men’s tennis, reached his first Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon last year and then became the first Italian tennis player to win an Olympic medal for 100 years when he won a bronze medal.
The eighth-seeded Italian, who is expecting his second child, reached his first ATP Masters 1000 final at Monte-Carlo and then followed it up with back-to-back semi-finals in Madrid and Rome to break into the top 10, making him only the sixth Italian male to do so.
With his recent success and confidence, Musetti is seen as one of the contenders to win the title in Paris and the Italian himself feels ready to take that jump.
“I think I’m more experienced (at) the Grand Slams, especially making semis in Wimbledon. I understand what I need during a Grand Slam – even before a Grand Slam – not just in terms of physical training, but in terms of in general daily routine, daily life. I think that brings me more confidence and more trust in what I’m doing right now,” Musetti told the media in Paris on Sunday.
I think on clay probably is the surface which I feel the most comfortable.
“I think after this clay swing, as I said in the first press conference that I made here, I feel ready to try to go for the trophy. That’s the goal, for sure. I think I have to be ambitious if I want to do better, if I want to make better. That’s the ambition that I have. For example, last year in Wimbledon, I was close to make a final. I think on clay probably is the surface which I feel the most comfortable. So hopefully I can reach that. But if it’s not this year, I will keep going with this mentality.”
Musetti opened his Roland-Garros campaign with a 7-5, 6-2, 6-0 win over Yannick Hanfmann. The Italian said he was pleased with overcoming a slow start in tough conditions to advance to the second round.
“Of course, the first match, especially in a Grand Slam, it’s never easy. I think Yannick was playing a great tennis, especially in the first set. I managed to deal a little bit with the tough condition out there. Was a lot of wind today. I was not really feeling the ball in the way I wanted. Then at the end I think I served throughout all the match pretty well. That was probably the key to manage, to improve my level during the game.”
Musetti will be back in action on Wednesday when he takes on Daniel Elahi Galan.
